


Peace Amongst The Stars

by Davechicken



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2017-04-24
Packaged: 2018-10-23 15:27:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10722078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Davechicken/pseuds/Davechicken
Summary: It's taken them a long time, but the old Emperor and Knight have brought peace to the galaxy, if not to their relationship.





	Peace Amongst The Stars

They don’t really need to run the drills anymore, or so his advisors make the mistake of mumbling. His hearing might be going, but his mind sure isn’t.

“The point of drills,” he says, his voice still rich, even if it needs a few more pauses for breath, not emphasis, “…is _to be ready_. For things that _may_ happen.”  


“It’s just that–” the aide, so young they look like they probably only just weaned off mushier food than Hux now mostly eats… “…there’s… been no resistance since–”  


“Because of the drills!” Hux insists, anger colouring his tone. “You don’t understand, because you were never there. Do it _again_. I want the exercise completed in record time. **Get to it**.”  


It’s also because he doesn’t have the bladder to outlast a full exercise the way this lot piss about.

***

Hux doesn’t _nap_. He runs to Hux-time. Hux-time now incorporates two periods of activity where everyone else has one. It is broken in the middle by a restful period. 

No one else (but Kylo) lives by Hux-time. No one else is the Emperor, or his beloved pain in the ass. 

He usually takes his first-rest period in his chair, over his datapad, and isn’t to be disturbed unless the Empire has imploded. Which it hasn’t. So no one bothers him (not twice, anyway).

***

His Knight’s hair is still soft and bounces like the first time Hux got him to remove his mask. There is no mask, not now. He would only wear it into battle, and there has been no battle in decades.

Peace reigns under his iron fist.

The difference is that now the locks are not dark as night, but white like spun silver. Hux won’t let his own do more than dust grey, but Kylo looks dignified like this. 

At some point, their faces creased. Hux isn’t quite sure how, but he is sure there’s more laughter and smiles in his wrinkles than he’d ever have had without the man by his side.

(Although he doesn’t often say as much. He doesn’t need to.)

His lover still kisses him, and Hux still blushes. Most of the time they’re too tired for anything further, but his Knight has a few skills with the Force that Hux doesn’t regret.

(Except that one time he broke his hip.)

***

Kylo sings to him in the ‘fresher, as he washes his back for him. Hux smiles and is grateful for both the care, and the joy. He’d worried once he got everything that he would no longer have a reason to keep going.

Well. He almost didn’t. But the nights out dancing somewhere almost empty, or riding over salt-plains, or watching a live show from the best box…

Once peace came, so did happiness. 

***

The knee they put in for Kylo has never quite worked right, but he won’t admit it. Hux watches him pretend everything is fine, and he lets him. It’s embarrassing to admit your body is less than perfect, which is why they lean on one another instead.

A hand held out to help the other out of bed. A Force-gesture to bring things down from high shelves. A series of small adaptations to furniture, to make things easier.

They are old men, but they don’t need to say it. They know.

His Knight can’t walk as fast as Hux would like, and he stands impatiently, watching him stride with the long weapon. Kylo hasn’t needed a kyber-blade in years, but it’s the perfect excuse for his wobbling, and he likes to smack it into the floor when he wants attention. Or to scare the minions. Both work.

“Come here and hold my hand,” Hux complains, because he can.  


“Why, afraid the airlock will open on you?”  


“You wouldn’t be able to save me,” Hux snorts. “I’m just cold. Nothing else.”  


“Whatever my Emperor desires,” Kylo says, still as snarky as ever.  


Fingers lace together, and he smiles as a thumb rubs over the spotted back of his hand. They look out the viewscreen together, out at the stars that are quiet because of them.

“We didn’t do such a bad job, did we?” Hux asks, after a moment.  


“Better than our parents ever did.”  


“Yes,” Hux agrees. “Better than them.”  


He feels lips touch his temple, and he presses his thumb to his wedding band. “I wondered if you’d like to visit Coruscant for the summer?”

“Yes. I think I would.”  


“Good. I’ll make the plans tomorrow.”   


Today, he just wants to hold his beloved’s hand, and feel the peace wash over him. 

It’s a good life. He has no regrets, not one.


End file.
